Ethnic women are blessed with thick hair that grows at a much faster rate than other hair types, which is great, but can also mean it’s more…

Most ethnic women are blessed with a head full of dark, lustrous, thick hair, but if that same type of hair starts sprouting from your legs, underarms and everywhere else it’s suddenly not so great.

'Effective hair removal in Asian and dark skin can be a challenge,' says Dr Karim Karim, cosmetic physician at Revere Clinics, based in London, UK.

'This is because of the pigment in the skin and because the hair is usually thicker and at varying depths.' Gentle, yet effective, hair removal methods for people with Afro-Caribbean skin can also be difficult as their hair is usually coarser and curlier.

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'The thickness of the hair, plus its tendency to curl, makes this skin type particularly prone to ingrown hairs, which can cause inflammation in the surrounding skin,' explains dermatologist, Dr Maria Gonzalez.

'This can sometimes result in the development of hyperpigmented papules and nodules, which can be particularly prominent in the bikini area.'

For years, the only solution to getting rid of this thick, unruly body hair was shaving, waxing and hair removal cream, with little or no option for laser treatments, but as technology plays catch up there are now more ways to stay hair-free than ever before.

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Laser treatment

Traditionally, laser hair removal wasn’t suitable for people with very dark or very pale skin and hair.

This was because lasers work by targeting the melanin found in the hair follicles and inhibiting the growth - if your hair and skin colour were too similar it would be almost impossible for the laser to target the follicles.

However, a newer method, called the GentleLase GentleYAG Pro laser treatment, has been developed for deeper penetration, which Dr Karim claims can target the darker hair shaft better, while sparing the pigment in the skin.

'Coupled with the controlled cryogen (or coolant) spray, with each shot, it safely delivers the amount of heat required to the hair with the reassurance that there is less heating and risk to the epidermis,' explains Dr Karim.

'You can use it to treat every skin colour, follicle depth and hair thickness, from fine, downy hair to coarse, thick hair.'

For darker or black skin there is now the Nd:YAG laser, which targets dark, coarse hair.

It produces longer wavelengths than other lasers so it can penetrate deeper into the skin, alleviating any damage that could occur.

'The hair follicles respond quickly to treatment with hair thickness decreasing over a course of six treatments,' says Dr Gonzalez.

'Pigmentation, papules and nodules also show steady improvement or complete resolution after treatment.'

Electrolysis

Electrolysis, like laser, can permanently remove body hair, but is a less popular choice for ethnic women.

Unlike laser, it harnesses electricity to destroy the hair follicles. A very thin needle is probed into each hair to destroy the root, which means it can be painful and if not done correctly, can cause scarring or hyperpigmentation in darker skin.

A safer alternative is the Epil Sonic, which uses the power of sound energy to remove hair regardless of skin tone or hair colour.

Developed by Sujata Jolly, scientist and research director at Clinogen Laboratories, the Epil Sonic channels sound waves down the hair shaft to effectively target and destroy the stem cells at the root of the hair.

Shaving

Most women will turn to this option if they want a quick, easy and cost-effective solution to unwanted hair, but if it’s not done properly, shaving can cause razor bumps, infections and pigmentation, particularly in ethnic skin.

'When shaving, make sure you use a shaving foam or oily liquid so that the hair and skin is softened,' says Shirley Daniels, Head of Training at Lorena Oberg Clinics in London, UK.

'This allows the razor to smoothly glide over the skin, remove hair without friction and prevent razor burns.'

For darker or Afro-Caribbean skin, shaving can cause more serious problems as the hair is coarse and curly, leaving it prone to unsightly ingrown hairs.

The best way to prevent this is to prep your skin before you shave. Start by buffing or exfoliating the skin with a body scrub so that the hair sits straighter.

Then let the skin soak in a hot bath or shower, which will help open the pores and allow for a closer, cleaner shave.

Depilatory cream

Hair removal cream, also known as a depilatory cream, is the most pain-free hair removal option and is suitable for all skin types and tones.

'This dissolves the hair on the skin’s surface by breaking down the sulphur bonds in the hair’s protein, known as keratin.

'Once the chemical dissolves the hair it is either scraped or rinsed off'.

The downside of depilatory cream is their pungent smell and potential to irritate sensitive skin.

'The problem is, skin is made up of the same protein (keratin) as the hair,' explains Shirley. 'So the cream can start to dissolve the skin at the same time'.

Remember to always take a patch test before using a hair removal cream to avoid any irritation or allergic reactions.

Tweezers

For areas where there’s not much hair, tweezing is ideal.

Shirley recommends investing in a good pair of tweezers (where the edges of the blades meet) so that the hair is pulled out properly without the risk of ingrown hairs.

'Sometimes any forcible removal of hair from the follicle can cause trauma,' explains Shirley. 'This can then develop into hyperpigmentation rings that circle the follicle opening on the skin’s surface.'

Oral contraceptive pill/hormone treatment

For women who suffer from excessive hair growth or hirsutism, hormone treatments or the contraceptive pill are effective hair removal methods.

Shirley explains, 'Hirsutism occurs when the hair growth mimics the male hair growth pattern and is stimulated by androgens (male hormones in a female body).

The materials in this web site are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor. The web site does not have answers to all problems. Answers to specific problems may not apply to everyone. If you notice medical symptoms or feel ill, you should consult your doctor - for further information see our Terms and conditions.

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